Taken from the National Eating Disorders website:

Body image is how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind. It encompasses:
* What you believe about your own appearance (including your memories, assumptions, and generalizations).
* How you feel about your body, including your height, shape, and weight.
* How you sense and control your body as you move.  How you physically experience or feel in your body. 
Many of us internalize messages starting at a young age that can lead to either positive or negative body image. Having a healthy body image is an important part of mental wellbeing and eating disorders prevention.


62% of women feel negatively about their body image compared with 53% of men. 57% of those who don't identify with either as a man or a woman reported feeling negatively about their body image most of the time

Not linked to body size / weight loss - weight loss is actually linked to poorer body confidence 

Is fluctuating

Is separate from self esteem

Not linked to objective beauty - eg models are the least confident

People with good body image also have bad days
Also have a strong filter for when they hear negative comments/thoughts
Also tend to have good media literacy - know that what they see isn’t necessarily true
Haven’t always had positive body image
Have good role models (who don’t necessarily look how they’d want to look!)

What’s the antecedents:
* Is it weighing yourself? Reduce or stop OR increase and break association
* Body checking - self monitor to reduce
* Curate your inputs

Reframe it: 
* I have excess energy stores
* “We don’t do that anymore”
* I’m strong

Negative self talk - what’s the function?
* Negative self talk to others - we may be reinforced by others telling us otherwise - “No, you look great!”
* Our own responses to negative self talk - comfort ourselves with food / alcohol / bath etc
* Our own responses to negative self talk - escape the hard - by telling yourself you can’t / you’re worthless, what are you avoiding?

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Disclaimer: While we’re both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services.